My Fault – Submitted Application to Just One University
Firstly, I would like to thank you for starting this blog. It has been of immense help!(More than the counselor I have paid)
My blessings and good wishes will always be with you.
Secondly,if possible, I would like your advice in the following matter.
I had applied in some university for the spring 2011 intake. My online application was submitted in September and official papers reached in October.
Till December I kept my cool and did not write to the department to know regarding their decision on my candidature for the seat in their masters program.First time I mailed I got no reply. After mustering a lot of courage I wrote to the secretary again.
Thankfully(?) I got a reply which said that THERE IS NO SPRING INTAKE for the masters program and that they will consider my application for the FALL intake. Needless to say I was shell shocked.My question is now should I write to the head of the department or to the secretary telling them that I have wasted almost an year on this whole cumbersome process. I know it is my fault that I applied only in 1 university, but even then because of their mistake I have to suffer. Please do guide me.
Dear reader – Its a huge mistake to spend more than 1 year of preparation and submit application to just one university. I doubt you will be considered for Spring 2011 intake just for the reasons mentioned above. But, there is nothing wrong is asking the head of the department to consider your application for Spring 2012 semester.
Looks like you paid some counselor and did they advise you to apply to one university or it was your decision? Why did you go for counseling, if you were planning to apply to just 1 university?
- What happens after Graduate Schools Application is Submitted to University.
How many Universities to Apply
I used to recommend 7 universities, but after observing large number of students applying to universities in recent semesters, its better to apply to 10 universities.
- Dream – 2
- Target – 4
- Safe – 4
Depending on your profile you can adjust Target and Safe lists. I’m against applying to more than 2 Dream schools, just because admissions doesn’t work in terms of luck and there is money involved in application process.
DO add a comment to this post after you get response from the department chair person.
Hi,
I have applied to the following 6 universities.
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Michigan State University
Utah State University
UPenn
University of South Carolina
UT Dallas
I have a GRE score of 1380, TOEFL score of 97 but my gpa is not good at all. I have an aggregate of 59% while the topper has an aggregate of 75%. Plus, I had a gap year due to some assessment errors. I have applied for MS in telecom/electromagnetics.
Should I apply to more universities or my GRE score is good enough to salvage the situation?
i just read on 'the number of universities to apply' to and i think it gives one a better chance of getting admission. But hey if you are to apply to 10 universties each with an application fee of $100, you would be paying $1000 in all and i think this is too much
You are going to spend 40 grand for your education and dint want to spend 1 grand?
Yes, You're right. I applied for Fall 2011 with this method. I think it's good.
This article enlightened me a lot. I'm in the US and I'm on a one year J-1 visa(through to July 2011). I'm taking my GRE in January, I have taken the TOEFL and I have a 100. I want to enroll for an MSc in the Fall so what process should I follow seeing that I don't have much time. Are there any documents that I need to prepare while waiting to sit for my GRE.
Questions
Financial stability? How much is needed in my account or what do they consider?
Recommendation letter? I have 3 recommendation letters from my professor but is it allowed to photocopy them and send them to various universities
Transcripts evaluation?? Our system from Zimbabwe is different from the US because we use 1, 2.1, 2.2, P, Fail as our grading system but here there is the GPA. What can I do in this case.
My employer is willing to give me part time work- when can one start OPT.
Your help is greatly appreciated!!
thats obviously true HSBm its very important then first of all one must weigh their academic excellence and profile and choose the universities accordingly. unless someone has an exceptional profile he/she must not think of applying to less than 7 universities. one cannot blame a university for not considering his/her application as the admission process is very competitive and universities have their admission criteria on the basis of no. of available seats and professors willing to act as mentor to that student
hey anubandh!
perhaps i was not clear in my initial message.
It was a huge mistake on my part in applying to 1 univ. I accept that. If I could go back I obviously would apply to more univs.
and I blame the university…why?…because on their website it was written that there is Spring 2011 intake. and the concerned person mailed to me telling that their has been a mistake on their part. Supposedly, the course structure is such that a student has to take fall term courses before he/she can take spring courses.
See, in worst case scenario I had prepared myself for a NO.
Not even in my wildest imagination had I thought that all the hard work put in will be of some alien world consequences.
ok, i see. in that case i take my words back. anyways best of luck for your future and hope to see something very good and positive from your side on this website. 🙂
How sure were you to secure fixed admission in the University ? ( Did your Counselor guaranteed that ? ) If you have loosed half of the academic year, I would say that you take admission in Fall Semester as admission in that University for Masters is in Fall season only.